,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #fae  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #e1 #bjba    
,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself and ,mr4    
,risch7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations  ,a  
,,bill  ,to establish an interagency    
program to assist countries in ,north   
,africa and ,west ,africa to improve    
immediate and long-term capabilities to 
counter terrorist threats1 and for other
 purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,trans-,sahara      
,counterterrorism ,partnership ,program 
,act of #bjba4  #b4 ,sense of ,congress 
,it is the sense of ,congress that--    
7#a7 terrorist and violent extremist    
organizations1 such as ,al ,qaeda in the
 ,islamic ,maghreb1 ,boko ,haram1 the   
,islamic ,state of ,west ,africa1 and   
other affiliated groups1 have killed    
tens of thousands of innocent civilians1
 displaced populations1 destabilized    
local and national governments1 and     

caused mass human suffering in the      
affected communities2  7#b7 poor        
governance1 political and economic      
marginalization1 and lack of            
accountability for human rights abuses  
by security forces are drivers of       
extremism2  7#c7 it is in the national  
security interest of the ,united        
,states-- 7,a7 to combat the spread of  
terrorism and violent extremism2 and    
7,b7 to build the capacity of partner   
countries to combat such threats in     
,africa2  7#d7 terrorist and violent    
extremist organizations exploit         
vulnerable and marginalized communities 
suffering from poverty1 lack of economic
 opportunity 7particularly among youth  
populations71 corruption1 and weak      
governance2 and  7#e7 a comprehensive1  
coordinated interagency approach is     
needed to develop an effective          
strategy-- 7,a7 to address the security 
challenges in the ,sahel-,maghreb2  7,b7
 to appropriately allocate resources and
 de-conflict programs2 and  7,c7 to     

maximize the effectiveness of ,united   
,states defense1 diplomatic1 and        
development capabilities4  #c4          
,statement of policy ,it is the policy  
of the ,united ,states to assist        
countries in ,north ,africa and ,west   
,africa1 and other allies and partners  
that are active in those regions1 in    
combating terrorism and violent         
extremism through a coordinated         
interagency approach with a consistent  
strategy that appropriately balances    
security activities with diplomatic and 
development efforts to address the      
political1 socioeconomic1 governance1   
and development challenges in ,north    
,africa and ,west ,africa that          
contribute to terrorism and violent     
extremism4  #d4 ,trans-,sahara          
,counterterrorism ,partnership ,program 
7a7 ,in general  7#a7 ,establishment    
,the ,secretary of ,state1 in           
consultation with the ,secretary of     
,defense and the ,administrator of the  
,united ,states ,agency for             

,international ,development1 shall      
establish a partnership program1 which  
shall be known as the ,trans-,sahara    
,counterterrorism ,partnership ,program 
7referred to in this section as the     
,program71 to coordinate all programs1  
projects1 and activities of the ,united 
,states ,government in countries in     
,north ,africa and ,west ,africa that   
are conducted--  7,a7 to improve        
governance and the capacities of        
countries in ,north ,africa and ,west   
,africa to deliver basic services1      
particularly to at-risk communities1 as 
a means of countering terrorism and     
violent extremism by enhancing state    
legitimacy and authority and countering 
corruption2  7,b7 to address the factors
 that make people and communities       
vulnerable to recruitment by terrorist  
and violent extremist organizations1    
including economic vulnerability and    
mistrust of government and government   
security forces1 through activities such
 as--  7i7 supporting strategies that   

increase youth employment opportunities2
  7ii7 promoting girls' education and   
women's political participation2  7iii7 
strengthening local governance and civil
 society capacity2  7iv7 improving      
government transparency and             
accountability2  7v7 fighting           
corruption2  7vi7 improving access to   
economic opportunities2 and  7vii7 other
 development activities necessary to    
support community resilience2  7,c7 to  
strengthen the rule of law in such      
countries1 including by enhancing the   
capability of the judicial institutions 
to independently1 transparently1 and    
credibly deter1 investigate1 and        
prosecute acts of terrorism and violent 
extremism2  7,d7 to improve the ability 
of military and law enforcement entities
 in partner countries-- 7i7 to detect1  
disrupt1 respond to1 and prosecute      
violent extremist and terrorist         
activity1 while respecting human rights2
 and  7ii7 to cooperate with the ,united
 ,states and other partner countries on 

counterterrorism and counter-extremism  
efforts2  7,e7 to enhance the border    
security capacity of partner countries1 
including the ability to monitor1       
detain1 and interdict terrorists2  7,f7 
to identify1 monitor1 disrupt1 and      
counter the human capital and financing 
pipelines of terrorism2 or  7,g7 to     
support the free expression and         
operations of independent1              
local-language media1 particularly in   
rural areas1 while countering the media 
operations and recruitment propaganda of
 terrorist and violent extremist        
organizations4  7#b7 ,assistance        
framework ,program activities shall--   
7,a7 be carried out in countries in     
which the ,secretary of ,state1 in      
consultation with the ,secretary of     
,defense and the ,administrator of the  
,united ,states ,agency for             
,international ,development--  7i7      
determines that there is an adequate    
level of partner country commitment2 and
  7ii7 has considered partner country   

needs1 absorptive capacity1 sustainment 
capacity1 and efforts of other donors in
 the sector2  7,b7 have clearly defined 
outcomes2  7,c7 be closely coordinated  
among ,united ,states diplomatic and    
development missions1 ,united ,states   
,africa ,command1 and relevant          
participating departments and agencies2 
7,d7 have specific plans with robust    
indicators to regularly monitor and     
evaluate outcomes and impact2  7,e7     
complement and enhance efforts to       
promote democratic governance1 the rule 
of law1 human rights1 and economic      
growth2  7,f7 in the case of train and  
equip programs1 complement longer-term  
security sector institution-building2   
and  7,g7 have mechanisms in place to   
track resources and routinely monitor   
and evaluate the efficacy of relevant   
programs4  7#c7 ,consultation ,in       
coordinating activities through the     
,program1 the ,secretary of ,state shall
 consult1 as appropriate1 with the      
,director of ,national ,intelligence1   

the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 the    
,attorney ,general1 the ,chief          
,executive ,officer of the ,united      
,states ,agency for ,global ,media      
7formerly known as the ,broadcasting    
,board of ,governors71 and the heads of 
other relevant ,federal departments and 
agencies1 as determined by the          
,president4  7#d7 ,congressional        
notification ,not later than #ae days   
before obligating amounts for an        
activity coordinated through the        
,program under paragraph 7#a71 the      
,secretary of ,state shall notify the   
appropriate congressional committees1 in
 accordance with section #fcd;,a of the 
,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb 
,u4,s4,c4 #bcid-a71 of--  7,a7 the      
foreign country and entity1 as          
applicable1 whose capabilities are to be
 enhanced in accordance with the        
purposes described in paragraph 7#a72   
7,b7 the amount1 type1 and purpose of   
support to be provided2  7,c7 the       
absorptive capacity of the foreign      

country to effectively implement the    
assistance to be provided2  7,d7 the    
anticipated implementation timeline for 
the activity2 and  7,e7 the plans to    
sustain any military or security        
equipment provided beyond the completion
 date of such activity1 if applicable1  
and the estimated cost and source of    
funds to support such sustainment4  7b7 
,international coordination ,efforts    
carried out under this section--  7#a7  
shall take into account partner country 
counterterrorism1 counter-extremism1 and
 development strategies2  7#b7 shall be 
aligned with such strategies1 to the    
extent practicable2 and  7#c7 shall be  
coordinated with counterterrorism and   
counter-extremism activities and        
programs in the areas of defense1       
diplomacy1 and development carried out  
by other like-minded donors and         
international organizations in the      
relevant country4  7c7 ,strategies  7#a7
 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days  
after the date of the enactment of this 

,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in      
consultation with the ,secretary of     
,defense and the ,administrator of the  
,united ,states ,agency for             
,international ,development and other   
relevant ,federal ,government agencies1 
shall submit the strategies described in
 paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c7 to the        
appropriate congressional committees4   
7#b7 ,comprehensive1 #e-year strategy   
for the ,sahel-,maghreb ,the ,secretary 
of ,state shall develop a comprehensive1
 #e-year strategy for the               
,sahel-,maghreb1 including details      
related to whole-of-government efforts  
in the areas of defense1 diplomacy1 and 
development to advance the national     
security1 economic1 and humanitarian    
interests of the ,united ,states1       
including-- 7,a7 efforts to ensure      
coordination with multilateral and      
bilateral partners1 such as the ,joint  
,force of the ,group of ,five of the    
,sahel1 and with other relevant         
assistance frameworks2  7,b7 a public   

diplomacy strategy and actions to ensure
 that populations in the ,sahel-,maghreb
 are aware of the development activities
 of the ,united ,states ,government1    
especially in countries with a          
significant ,department of ,defense     
presence or engagement through train and
 equip programs2  7,c7 activities aimed 
at supporting democratic institutions   
and countering violent extremism with   
measurable goals and transparent        
benchmarks2  7,d7 plans to help each    
partner country address humanitarian and
 development needs and to help prevent1 
respond to1 and mitigate intercommunal  
violence2  7,e7 a comprehensive plan to 
support security sector reform in each  
partner country that includes a detailed
 section on programs and activities     
being undertaken by relevant            
stakeholders and other international    
actors operating in the sector2 and     
7,f7 a specific strategy for ,mali that 
includes plans for sustained1 high-level
 diplomatic engagement with             

stakeholders1 including countries in    
,europe and the ,middle ,east with      
interests in the ,sahel-,maghreb1       
regional governments1 relevant          
multilateral organizations1 signatory   
groups of the ,agreement for ,peace and 
,reconciliation in ,mali1 done in       
,algiers ,july #bd1 #bjad1 and civil    
society actors4  7#c7 ,a comprehensive  
five-year strategy for ,program         
counterterrorism efforts ,the ,secretary
 of ,state shall develop a comprehensive
 #e-year strategy for the ,program that 
includes--  7,a7 a clear statement of   
the objectives of ,united ,states       
counterterrorism efforts in ,north      
,africa and ,west ,africa with respect  
to the use of all forms of ,united      
,states assistance to combat terrorism  
and counter violent extremism1 including
 efforts-- 7i7 to build military and    
civilian law enforcement capacity2  7ii7
 to strengthen the rule of law2  7iii7  
to promote responsive and accountable   
governance2 and  7iv7 to address the    

root causes of terrorism and violent    
extremism2  7,b7 a plan for coordinating
 programs through the ,program pursuant 
to subsection 7a77#a71 including        
identifying the agency or bureau of the 
,department of ,state1 as applicable1   
that will be responsible for leading and
 coordinating each such program2  7,c7 a
 plan to monitor1 evaluate1 and share   
data and learning about the ,program in 
accordance with monitoring and          
evaluation provisions under sections #c 
and #d of the ,foreign ,aid             
,transparency and ,accountability ,act  
of #bjaf 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcid;c note and
 #bcid;c72 and  7,d7 a plan for ensuring
 coordination and compliance with       
related requirements in ,united ,states 
law1 including the ,global ,fragility   
,act of #bjai 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ihja et   
seq474  7#d7 ,consultation ,not later   
than #ij days after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,state shall consult with the        
appropriate congressional committees    

regarding the progress made towards     
developing the strategies required under
 paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c74  7d7         
,supporting material in annual budget   
request  7#a7 ,in general ,the          
,secretary of ,state shall include a    
description of the requirements1        
activities1 and planned allocation of   
amounts requested by the ,program in the
 budget materials submitted to ,congress
 in support of the ,president's annual  
budget request pursuant to section #aaje
 of title #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1   
for each fiscal year beginning after the
 date of the enactment of this ,act and 
annually thereafter for the following #e
 years4  7#b7 ,exception ,the           
requirement under paragraph 7#a7 shall  
not apply to activities of the          
,department of ,defense conducted       
pursuant to authorities under title #aj1
 ,united ,states ,code4  7e7 ,monitoring
 and evaluation of programs and         
activities ,not later than #a year after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1

 and annually thereafter for the        
following #e years1 the ,secretary of   
,state1 in consultation with the        
,secretary of ,defense and the          
,administrator of the ,united ,states   
,agency for ,international ,development1
 shall submit a report to the           
appropriate congressional committees    
that describes--  7#a7 the progress made
 in meeting the objectives of the       
strategies required under paragraphs    
7#b7 and 7#c7 of subsection 7c71        
including any lessons learned in        
carrying out ,program activities and any
 recommendations for improving such     
programs and activities2  7#b7 the      
efforts taken to coordinate1            
de-conflict1 and streamline ,program    
activities to maximize resource         
effectiveness2  7#c7 the extent to which
 each partner country has demonstrated  
the ability to absorb the equipment or  
training provided in the previous year  
under the ,program1 and as applicable1  
the ability to maintain and             

appropriately utilize such equipment2   
7#d7 the extent to which each partner   
country is investing its own resources  
to advance the goals described in       
subsection 7a77#a7 or is demonstrating a
 commitment and willingness to cooperate
 with the ,united ,states to advance    
such goals2  7#e7 the actions taken by  
the government of each partner country  
receiving assistance under the ,program 
to combat corruption1 improve           
transparency and accountability1 and    
promote other forms of democratic       
governance2  7#f7 the assistance        
provided in each of the #c preceding    
fiscal years under the ,program1 broken 
down by partner country1 including the  
type1 statutory authorization1 and      
purpose of all ,united ,states security 
assistance provided to the country      
pursuant to authorities under title #aj1
 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,foreign    
,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4
 #baea et seq471 or any other train and 
equip authorities of the ,department of 

,defense2 and  7#g7 any changes or      
updates to the ,comprehensive #e-,year  
,strategy for the ,program required     
under subsection 7c77#c7 necessitated by
 the findings in this annual report4    
7f7 ,reporting requirement related to   
audit of bureau of african affairs      
monitoring and coordination of the      
,trans-,sahara ,counterterrorism        
,partnership ,program ,not later than   
#ij days after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 and every #abj days      
thereafter until the earlier of the date
 on which all #ac recommendations in the
 ,september #bjbj ,department of ,state 
,office of ,inspector ,general audit    
entitled ,audit of the ,department of   
,state ,bureau of ,african ,affairs     
,monitoring and ,coordination of the    
,trans-,sahara ,counterterrorism        
,partnership ,program                   
7,,aud-,,mero-#bj-db7 are closed or the 
date that is #c years after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,state shall submit a     

report to the appropriate congressional 
committees that identifies--  7#a7 which
 of the #ac recommendations in          
,,aud-,,mero-#bj-db have not been       
closed2  7#b7 a description of progress 
made since the last report toward       
closing each recommendation identified  
under paragraph 7#a72  7#c7 additional  
resources needed1 including assessment  
of staffing capacity1 if any1 to        
complete action required to close each  
recommendation identified under         
paragraph 7#a72 and  7#d7 the           
anticipated timeline for completion of  
action required to close each           
recommendation identified under         
paragraph 7#a71 including application of
 all recommendations into all existing  
security assistance programs managed by 
the ,department of ,state under the     
,program4  7g7 ,program administration  
,not later than #abj days after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,state shall submit a     
report to ,congress that describes plans

 for conducting a written review of a   
representative sample of each of the    
security assistance programs            
administered by the ,bureau of ,african 
,affairs that-- 7#a7 identifies         
potential waste1 fraud1 abuse1          
inefficiencies1 or deficiencies2 and    
7#b7 includes an analysis of staff      
capacity1 including human resource      
needs1 available resources1 procedural  
guidance1 and monitoring and evaluation 
processes to ensure that the ,bureau of 
,african ,affairs is managing programs  
efficiently and effectively4  7h7 ,form 
,the strategies required under          
paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c7 of subsection  
7c7 and the report required under       
subsection 7e7 shall be submitted in    
unclassified form1 but may include a    
classified annex4  7i7 ,appropriate     
congressional committees defined ,in    
this section1 the term appropriate      
congressional committees means-- 7#a7   
the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of
 the ,senate2  7#b7 the ,committee on   

,armed ,services of the ,senate2  7#c7  
the ,committee on ,appropriations of the
 ,senate2  7#d7 the ,select ,committee  
on ,intelligence of the ,senate2  7#e7  
the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of  
the ,house of ,representatives2  7#f7   
the ,committee on ,armed ,services of   
the ,house of ,representatives2  7#g7   
the ,committee on ,appropriations of the
 ,house of ,representatives2 and  7#h7  
the ,permanent ,select ,committee on    
,intelligence of the ,house of          
,representatives4